Losing Streak Hits 1 / Brewers Look To Regain Momentum Tonight

Milwaukee lost a close one last night 3-1 to the Houston Astros. They were unable to pull even with the Chicago Cubs and remain a game under their division rival.

Manny Parra looked great the first six innings but then things rapidly unraveled in the sixth when the young pitcher departed from the game with the bases loaded. In came David Riske and he gave up two sacrifice fly's that resulted in their respective runs. In all, the young lefty Parra looked solid but just couldn't hang, had it not been for the 2 fielding blunders in the seventh he would have had another win.

Call it a managing error if you like, Yost had the option of removing him from the game earlier in the inning. Instead he choose to stick with him longer than what most would like. I like to think of it as a growing pain...a lesson of sorts. You have to push the young pitcher to last longer, deal with tough situations, and work out of jams. So in all, I can't really blame Yost. "Right now I'm just really frustrated because I keep on doing this," Parra said. "I feel like I'm throwing the ball really well for six innings, seven innings, and then a break here or there (for the other team).

"That's the difference between what CC (Sabathia) and Ben (Sheets) are doing. They're going deep into games, they're coming out on a good note as opposed to being taken out in the middle of an inning, which I can't stand."

-Manny Parra (JSOnline.com)

There is a lot that stands between Parra and the two aces. But that will soon change as Parra begins to encounter tougher match ups and as he grows as a ball player. This guy will be a "frontliner", in the words of pitching coach Mike Maddux.

Parra gave up 8 hits and 3 runs while striking out 5. Not too shabby.

Wendy Rodriguez on the other hand was lights-out. He threw 6 scoreless innings and earned his sixth win of the season (6-3) for the Astros.

Carlos Villenueva pitched 2 scoreless/hitless innings in the 8th and 9th innings. He is definately nice to have in the bull pen. One has to wonder if he will be traded in the off-season? He wants to be a starter and certainly can become one. Just not in our rotation it appears.

-Corey Hart snapped his mini-slump that had him go 5-28 since the break. Thankfully the hearthrob had two hits last night and a remarkable throw out at home to catch Matsui (sp?). He was sportin' the Vanilla Ice steps shaved into his head. Nice.

-Fox Valley native Jarrod Washburn (LHP) is being thrown in to the Milwaukee rumor mill.

-Other rumor mill news updates. I like it that Melvin isn't going to trade Escobar or Gamel for a reliever. Hang on to these two for the long term.

Lastly, why is it that the Brewers have hard time, historically, with the Astros?

Also, is it just me or does Lance Berkman look like a character from Life Goes On?